richter



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

P. J. RICHTER.

WAGON GEARING.

Patentd Mar. 30, 1886.

(No Model.) 2 ShetsSheet 2. P. J. RICHTER.

WAGON GEARING.

No. 338,876. PatentedMar. so, 1886.

UNITE STATES Erica.

PETER J. RICHTER, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO LElVIS T. VVILOOXAND JAMES P. LIGHT, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

WAGON-GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,876, dated March30, 1886. Application filed January 4, 1886. Serial No. 187,592. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER J. RICHTER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in lVagonGearing, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention consists in devices for attaching the forward axle t0 thebolster, and in the combination, arrangement,and construction of theseveral parts comprising the gearing, as I hereinafter more fullydescribe and claim; and the object of my invention is to reduce the costof manufacturing wagons and to provide a device by means of which onespring only will be necessary to give the body the proper verticalmovement, and by which the weight of the body and load is to a greatextent supported independently of the spring, so that a much lighter andmore sensitivespring may be used, whereby the weight of the wagon isgreatly reduced. I attain these objects by means of the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of myimprovement detached from the body and wheels.Fig. 2 is a side view of a wagon, partly sectional, containing myimprovement. Fig. 3 is adetached plan view of the spring. Fig. 4 is aView of a portion of the rear axle and the truss-tie. Fig. 5 is a viewof the under side of the truss-tie. Fig. 6 isafront view of the frontaxle and section of thills. Fig. 7 is a side view of the thillattachment. Fig. Sis a longitudinal vertical section of the bolsterattachment. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

a represents the body of a wagon, and a the seat.

I) is the rear axle, and I) is the front axle, each of which has itscentral portions curved upward, and is strengthened by a trusstie rod, 0and c, which is secured by its ends to the axle by the bolt (Z, and alsoby the clips d.

e is a bolster pivoted in its center to the front axle, and to the endsof the bolster are rigidly secured the levers f. These levers f arepivoted near their central portion to the lower end of the supportswhile the upper ends of the supports are rigidly secured to the underside of the body a. The inner ends of these levers fare turned upward ina suitable position, so that the upturned ends will be located beneaththe seat a, where they are firmly secured to the opposite ends of aspring-bar, h. Similar levers, f, are secured to the rear axle andpivoted to the supports 9, and have their inner upturned ends secured tothe ends of the springbar h, which is located at a short distance inrear of the bar h, so that a spring, i, may be placed between andsecured to the central portion of the bars h and h. This springz' iscomposed of two portions curved in opposite directions, and their endsare secured together by an open link, i, passing loosely through holesin the ends of the half-springs, and having in its central portion asolid collar, j, against which each portion of the spring bears andwhich admits of a free winding movement of the parts of the spring whennecessary. The levers are also provided with suitable side braces, whichserve to hold them in a rigid position in relation to the axle andbolster. The operation of this arrangement is that the body a and itsload are carried by the levers f and f, the supports 9 and 9 beingattached thereto 1'11 such a position as to leave the outer ends of thelevers considerably shorter than the inner upturned ends, which givesthe springa great advantage and allows a much lighter spring to beused,while the wheel rising over an obstruction or inequality of theroad acts to move the lever to the required distance without greatlymoving the body,and the recoil of the spring upon the long arm of thelever acts to bring the levers gently to their former position without asudden recoil, as in the vertical springs usually used.

Secured to the under side and in the center of the bolster e by thebolts e is the bolsterplate It. The under side of this plate It iscircular in form and is provided with a recess, It, into which is fittedthe upper portion, Z, of a box, it, which surrounds the front axle, b.The lower portion, Z, of this box it is secured to the upper part, Z, bythe bolts m, and a chamber, a, is arranged in the central portion of theparts Z and Z to receive a collar, n, which is welded to the axle in themiddle of its length, and which prevents an end movement of the axle inthe box, and also permits the axle to revolve within the box. Aking-bolt, 0, passes from the chamber a through the partl and throughthe bolster-plate and bolster e, securing the parts together andallowing the partl to turn within the recess 70'. In order to givegreater strength to this connection of the parts, I secure by the boltsm, beneath the part Z, a clip, 0, which is provided at a point directlyopposite the king-bolt 0 with a stud, p, to which is secured the lowerpart of the braces p,while the upper portion of the braces are securedto the upper end of the king-bolt above the bolster.

The thills r are secured in position to the axle b rigidly by the usualthill-iron, 0*, provided at its lower end with a T-extension, whichrests upon and is held to the axle by the clips d and the bolt (1, theclips and bolt passing through side lugs on the truss-rod as well. Thisrigid attachment of the ihills to the axle causes the axle to turn inthe box it when the thills are raised up or lowered, and is easilyconstructed and avoids all looseness and noise caused by the usual modeof attachment, besides being stronger and more durable.

Suitable holes are provided in the levers f and f, with which the properweight may be brought to bear upon the spring z, as by moving thesupports 9 and g to a point nearer the outer ends of the levers agreater portion of the load is carried by the axles, the fulcrum beingchanged to lengthen the inner arms of the levers, and thereby giving thespring a greater advantage.

"What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a wagon-gearing, the levers f, secured by their outer ends to thebolster and by their inner upturned ends to the spring'bar h, the leversf, secured by their rear ends to the rear axle and by their innerupturnedends to the spring-bar h, the supports 9 and g, secured to thebody by one end and pivoted to the levers f andf by their opposite ends,and the spring 12, secured between the bars h and h, in combination withan open link, '5, passed through openings inthe ends of thespringsections, and having a solid collar,j, upon its PETER J. RICHTER.

Witnesses: I

I. E. THOMAS, HENRY GWYNNE.

